I purchased an Ariens 11528LE last winter (after reading posts on this site). Unfortunately, after making the purchase, the snow subsided and I didn’t get a chance to appreciate its prowess.
The other day our community weathered through ½ inch of frozen rain, 1 inch of sleet, six inches of snow, and 25-45 mph winds (blizzard), leaving rock-hard drifts three to four feet high.
Since the storm severed countless power lines, the area did not have electricity. With one pull, the next morning, the Ariens started up, and to my amazement it pulled me through frozen drifts (I say ‘pulled’ because it was too slippery to walk, so it drug me). It hurled the snow fifty feet (or more, especially with the wind, which is needed, since we have a deep triple car-wide driveway, and live on a corner lot that’s surrounded with sidewalk).
This sounds odd, but six of my neighbors, who were also snow blowing, stopped to watch the 11528LE’s substantial snow stream and listen to the engine’s steady sound. I then took notice of their struggles (they mostly used single states and a few small two stages), and decided to tackle their EODs and sizeable sidewalk drifts.
Like greasy butter in July…
I never thought purchasing a snow blower would result in relationship building. We’re relatively new to the neighborhood, and had yet to meet many of the people who live around us, but during and after my fun in the neighbor’s yards, they thanked me by lining up to shake my hand. Today, we know the neighbors.
It’s a true testament to how having the right equipment can not only bring personal safety (I would have killed myself trying to shovel) and satisfaction, but it also regains the almost ancient practice of helping neighbors/creating a sense of community (in the era of pulling up to and immediately closing garage doors).
Ariens 11528LE snowthrower; Honda Harmony II HRR216SDA lawnmower; Ryobi 825R gas trimmer ; Anti-perspirant deodorant
